Border killing 'unfortunate', says BSF chief
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) chief Rajni Kant Mishra said killings across the Bangladesh and India border has recently gone up.
"I don't agree with the word 'killing'. However, unfortunate killings are taking place across the border," the BSF chief said when reporters drew his attention of killing across the border.
The border conference between Border Guard Bangladesh and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) ended at the BGB headquarters in Dhaka on Saturday.
The conference was followed by a media briefing.
During the briefing, BSF director general Rajni Kant Mishra claimed when there was no alternative, BSF members reacted to protect their lives.
He said lives were very important to them. All the incidents took place inside the Indian territory and BSF members also lost lives, Rajni Kant Mishra added.
A young man at the Satkhira border alleged several months ago that members of BSF tried to kill him by pouring petrol into his mouth and rectum. Later, the youth died while undergoing treatment.
A total of 15 killings have taken place in the first five months of the current year.
Rajni Kant Mishra did not make any comment on Satkhira youth.
He, however, objected to using the word 'killing'.
The lives of people are very important to them and a decision is in place not to use firearms across the border, he said, adding BSF members were trained.
BSF chief admitted that the situation sometimes went out of control.
Miscreants threw stones at BSF members, beat up them and attacked them with knives.
As there were no alternatives, BSF members used firearms in a small number of incidents, he said.
Rajni Kant Mishra said seven people were killed in Indian territory last year. Of them, six were Indians and one Bangladeshi.
One soldier was killed and 39 others injured.
Three people were killed and case was filed in each of the incidents and investigations were carried out.
Accomplices of the miscreants in the Indian territory were detained.
They identified the weak spots across the border and recommended BGB and BSF to take measures. As a result, the incidents of illegal intrusion will not take place, he added.
When asked about the justice of Felani killing and killing of another boy near Meherpur border, BSF DG said BSF gives highest importance to these incidents. He, however, could not update the reporters about the matter.
He said their media will publish news in this regard.
BGB chief Shafeenul Islam said the BSF DG had touched all aspects. "We have discussed about border killings and conveyed our concerns during the three-day conference," he said.
The BGB DG expressed his concern about the smuggling of narcotics and killing of Bangladeshi nationals in the bordering areas. He stated that people of Bangladesh always appreciate the existing excellent relationship between the two border guarding forces and expect that BGB and BSF will take necessary measures to bring down the deaths and smuggling of narcotics to zero.
The summary of the decisions taken during the conference are appended below:
a. Both sides agreed to undertake joint efforts to bring down the killing incidents to zero by increasing coordinated patrols in areas vulnerable to cattle and drug/narcotics smuggling, educating border population about the sanctity of IB and preventing criminals from crossing the IB.
b. Highlighting the importance of CBMP in curbing the menace of trans-border crimes both sides agreed for the implementation of CBMP in its positive spirit.
c. Both sides agreed to take effective steps for prevention of human trafficking and illegal crossing of the international border.
d. DG BSF appreciated the cooperation extended by BGB and other security forces of Bangladesh against Indian Insurgent Groups (IIGs) and sought further cooperation from BGB for destruction of reported hideouts of IIGs in Bangladesh. DG BGB mentioned that Bangladesh does not allow her soil to be used by any entity or element hostile to any country and assured all possible help. DG BGB reiterated the commitment of the prime minister Sheikh Hasina where she said, “We would not allow any groups/terrorists to use our land against any country and zero tolerance against any kinds of terrorism”.
e. Both sides agreed that all the inadvertent crossers be handed over to concerned force immediately as per the provisions of CBMP.
f. Both sides agreed to take effective steps for preventing smuggling of arms, ammunition, explosives, drugs, gold and FICN across the IB. Both sides also agreed to pursue and share real time information including preliminary questioning report as applicable about the persons apprehended with smuggled items.
g. Both sides mutually agreed to solve the pending issues regarding development works including works of integrated check posts, land customs stations and single row fences within 150 yards of the internaional border by joint verification/re-verification at appropriate levels as early as possible.
h. Both the DGs agreed to cooperate with each other and maintain extreme vigilance at the border to prevent illegal cross border movement from either side by nationals of any country especially forcibly displaced nationals from Myanmar.
j. Both sides agreed to facilitate river bank protection work as approved by Joint River Commission and ensure no unauthorised river bank protection work takesplace along the bordering common rivers.
k. Both sides agreed to declare new areas as crime free zones in phases, of which proposed area within Sarail Region/Tripura frontier may be formalised in the first phase.
l. Both sides also exchanged list of criminals/smugglers operating in the bordering areas and asked assistance to address the issues.
m. Both sides agreed to hold the next DG level conference at New Delhipreferably within last week of October to the first week of November 2019.